The Summoner

Chapter 27: Peace Offering

Eight days later Kaylen stood outside the throne room with Kylihr at her side.

The drake was dead. Raj Dimios was dead. It was over.

Somehow Kaylen still felt restless and on edge. The king and his advisors had demonized Raj as she knew they would and the way the people talked about him, Kaylen was unspeakably grateful Kylihr had killed him rather than left the broken man to the mercy of humanity. A large part of her was disgusted by the curses and suggestions she'd heard directed at the dead summoner; they called him demon-tainted yet it was humans, in Kaylen's experience, who were the cruelest. So far the king had managed to direct that hate towards a single man but whispers of summoner and demon followed Kaylen and Kylihr even as they rode victoriously through the capital beside the king.

It made her uneasy.

At least Elon and the soldiers had returned. Elon, Raven, and Pierce were the only humans Kaylen felt even remotely safe around especially since the wolves had returned to their alpha directly after the battle. She saw little of Pierce, however, as he and his company were kept busy serving an unofficial punishment. Technically they succeeded in their mission and saved the kingdom by finding Kaylen, the second sword, and 'the demon' and they were publicly lauded for it, but the king had demanded an answer when he confronted Kaylen about abandoning the humans, and Kaylen had not been in the mood to sing undeserved praises. She, of course, spoke well of Niall and Pierce, and the boy was to be promoted and moved to another company but only after their punished concluded.

Brenden was in danger of being demoted.

Kaylen shook her head as if that could chase away the memory of his words. The captain had hunted her down after being reprimanded by his cousin, the king, and Brenden hadn't had nice things to say. It felt like they were surrounded on all sides by people who hated her or hated summoners and demons; being in the palace was more akin to a cage than an honor. Kaylen fidgeted and Kylihr's soft chuckle pulled her from her anxious musings.

She glanced at him then at the servant who watched the king's aide at his place in the throne room, ready to usher Kaylen and Kylihr in when the aide signaled. The servant paid them no mind and Kaylen's gaze returned to Kylihr. Her lips twitched.

Her demon was dressed in deep grey pants of the court-favored style: clinging at glute and thigh and flowy from the calf down. Kylihr didn't like them, but the pants looked darn good on him. The top half though... she was still trying not to laugh. They hadn't known what to do about his wings. In the end the tailors went with a vest that they removed all of the back from except for a thin strip of fabric that rested between his wing joints essentially so the material could be laced on both sides because – wings. Watching the tailors try to figure out how to slip his wings through the vest had almost made dealing with all the pomp and circumstance worthwhile.

Kaylen was dressed in lighter grey pants, almost silver, embroidered with flowers stitched in the dark amethyst of Kylihr's vest. The color scheme had to be an unsubtle gesture to Kylihr's magic. Thankfully her black tunic lacked embroidery; she didn't think she could take any more. She looked like she belonged on a wall in the art gallery. It was ridiculous and who thought it was attractive? She glanced at Kylihr and snorted. Okay, it could be worse.

Stop laughing.

Can you imagine if the wolves were here? Vandaer would be rolling on the ground.

She wished they were here. The king wanted to include them in the award ceremony, but they said they had been away from the pack long enough; their Alpha of Alphas was waiting for them. Maybe rather than wishing they were here, she should wish Eshar was waiting for her.